National Republican., 1887-12-28
The Proper Method to Reduce tho
Revenue.


Senator Hlscock, In a conversation at the
Arlington last week, is reported to have
said:
"All we have to do this session Is to fix the
sugar men, the sugar producers Of the south,
and give them a bounty. Take the customs
tax off OF sugar and give lis fair chance for
competition, but at the same time protect our
home industries Then our hands will be
clean and we will have no complications. We
can join issues between the Senate and the
House at once, taking up the gauntlet the prosi.
dent threw down IN his late message; aud then
we will wir. The message was bold, straight
forward state paper, and serves the purpose o
drawing the party lines IN the most dehute
manner. 1t satisfies both parties, except the
protection wing of the Democracy. l am In
favorof making war on these lines from thl,
time forward, and believe the Republicans
will come out victorious"
The Republican party can very we'll ai-
ford to repeal the duty on sugar because
It is revenue duty, aud, therefore, a tax
on the consumer. In doing so, however
they would, as Senator Hiscock says, pro
tect our own sugar growers By bounty.
The imports Of sugar, molasses, ano
candy last year reached the enormous sul
Of S14, ,242 200, aud the duties collected /,
S5S,0l6,GS6 II II bounty equal to the aver-
age duty on sugar be given for every pouu'
produced in the uuited States, the incom.
would be reduced abou; si',000,0O0 by tn
removal OF the duty, aad that amour
would be saved to the consumers.
But tbls is not enough, nor can the Re
publican party afford to any longer uphold
the retention OF the odious internal revenu.
tax on tobacco. 1t is the most oiious forI
Of taxation, and nothing but the necessit,e.
Of the government ever justified its imposi.
ton. The necessity for IL has passed away,
ard the entire law should be stricken from
our statute books. Tnirty million dollar.
would be the reduction from this source.
The tax on fruit brandy only produces
sl,5GO,000, and this should go at once. The
farmer with his little still and his apple o
peach orchard should be allowed to maui.
facture his own or his neighbors' fruits
without paying any tax or without the
domlciliary visits of government official.
or this system OF taxation Thomas Joffer-
son said In message to Congress.
At home, fellow citizens, you best know
whether we have done well or i'll. The sup
preston Of unnecessary officers of useless es
adjustments and expenses enabled us to dis
continue our internal taxes These, covering
our land with officers and opening our doors Il
their intrusions, had already begun that proc
ess of domlciliary vexations which, once en-
| tered, is scarcely to be restrained from reach.
ing successfully every article of properly aud
| produce.
And the Republican party can well af-
ford TO apply the rnle to tobacco and fruit
brandies.
OF malt liquors, distilled spirits, and
wines the importations last year amounted
in value to sl0,l0O,9IG, and the duties col.
lected on those articles was $7,402,22
These duties should be made practically
probibitiye and such conditions of packing
and inspection as to insure all that was i'm
ported to be absolutely pure. Another re
duction OF five or six million dollars would
be made by this.
| The changes thus outlined would reduce
the revenues between eighty and eighty-hv,
million dollars, which is as much as should
be taken off, and no industry In the United
States would be ignored the bread woud
not be taken from the mouth OF any work.
ipgman's children.
The Republican Senate can afford to au.
tagouize any tariff bill coming from the
Democratic House with bill containn,
all these proliio 5, and II the Democrat,
party refuses TO accept such measures, thl
Republicans can appeal to the people with
the Certainty of success.